Detroit's garage rockers finally hit "big". And like the White Stripes, trendiness and fame come at the expense of originality (ie. gotta cater to the esthetic of mass consumption). Where is the Von Bondies' mean rawness that I so knew and loved? Where are my Stooges, MC5 and Cramps influences? Their newest compositions and sound production borrow from familiar recipes. Let that be an 80s Brit sound (Billy Idol, the Smiths) or a Nirvana-sounding hit or even that 4AD Pixies/Breeders sound. Having said this, the Von Bondies are pretty damn fucking good band and their mean garage/psychobilly sides are still there. And so play them. It's all about the music speaking to your heart... not the image or the trendiness.
Play 4, 9, 11, 5, 2
1. Detroit garage gone 80s Brit pop.
2. Slashy, swampy power rocker.
3. Do NOT play this fucking song. Good but it's like Nirvana meets the Smiths. And it's been overplayed on commercial radio. Jesus Christ!
4. Fuck yeah! This is the GARAGE band that I knew. Ripping bass lines, fuzzed up guitars, hand-claps, intense vox. Let's rawk!
5. Primal, psychotic, blunt: the Von Bondies.
6. Surfy tones... drone-y mood with paroxysmic vox-guitar build-ups. Psychobillish.
7. Oh gawd... Is this the Von Bondies trying to be the Breeders?
8. Nice female vox. Riffy leads.
9. Rawks hard. Female vox at the chorus. Sahara Hotnights come in mind!
10. Mid tempo psych number. Sparse, jangly psych guitars. Hard swinging tempo. The Doors.
11. Loud heavy raucous groove. Catchy. Nice garage guitar leads. Great tune!
12. More psychobilly. Neurotic guitar leads... and emo vox. hidden track at 7:04